


The Illusionist

by ScarlettWoman66



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Aro is Obsessed with Bella, Aro/Bella Main, Bella and Jasper Kick Arse, Bella/OC - Freeform, Blood, Coven Destruction, Coven Wars, Deception, F/M, Gore, Human Control, Illusions, Isabella Vampire, Kidnapping, More Powers, New Race, Red Eyes Are My Destiny, Secret Organization, Shapeshifting Army, Shields are Very Handy, The Volturi - Freeform, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Very Old Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, You Have Been Warned, master manipulator, new powers, soul bonds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:40:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24002230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarlettWoman66/pseuds/ScarlettWoman66
Summary: From the ashes of a great coven rises an ancient enemy once thought a myth to even the oldest of vampires. Bella finds her world torn to shreds as fate pushes her forward to a confrontation with the greatest Illusionist to have ever lived as the undead.
Relationships: Aro/Bella Swan
Comments: 13
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any rights to SM Works or any Motion picture. I simply write for the love it and take no money for these characters or story.

Chapter One

The land was still, with hardly a whisper upon the winds. The trees stood like giant silent guardians with their great branches extended, protecting the open area where a modern manor lay open in the still air.

The morning frost was melting upon the grass, rising moisture into the air. But, unnatural silence covered the area.

Profound was this feeling and the feeling of emptiness that when the four sleek black shadows arrived, they stood like frozen statues within the shaded tree line. Their blood red eyes were focused intently, unbelievably at the area in which the lovely manor stood with its front door open.

These black shadows turned into quality embroidered black robes, hoods so large, covering faces into their depths. And as one, they took a step and within a blink they now stood eyeing the manor up close, already having taken notice of the burnt out spots along the drive way and even a few in the outer areas in which they now stood.

"We are too late" spoke a smooth voice belaying the strong and tall build he carried.

"Our Master will not be happy with this, what are we to tell him, Sister?"

"Their Dead" she responded coldly with her young voice.

They all turned to look at the last member who instead of speaking started pacing around the house and gardens in circles. A sniff here and there was all they heard, but this situation was not that unusual enough to comment on his behaviour.

Finally after a minute he spoke. "Not all dead" he lifted his head and sniffed again. "They went this way" he pointed south. "I can still smell the shield and empath. There are many other scents dominating that pathway but I think I can make out the seer, however I can find no trace of her or her mate in my mind".

"Are you sure there is no others" the girl spoke again.

The tracker shook his head looking at the black spots around them gravely. "They are gone" he confirmed.

"Well Shit!" The large man spoke. " Demetri, you better be right. This is the second largest coven in the world. Who mind you, have many talented members. How could they of let this happened?" he finished tensely whilst clenching his big fists.

"The why's? Felix. We can confirm later" Demetri patiently told him. "Right now we need to follow that trail". He then turned to the girl.

"Jane we are at least a three hours behind the perpetrators. You and Alec gather the evidence we need for the Masters and Felix and I will check this out". He frowned darkly. "Master Aro will not like us returning empty handed. If there is even a slightest chance of finding Isabella or Alice we need to take it".

Jane scowled at the mention of Aro's obsession. She loathed the shield. "Do it quickly and return. We just need a sense of direction if the shield is protecting the rest".

Demetri and Felix bowed and left running at full speed through the thick woods following the dying scent. So fast were their species that within minutes they were running up the distant mountain from the manor. Both pulled up to a sharp stop upon reaching the ice cap top.

Instantly they could smell the slight petrol left in the air. Demetri paced the frozen area and veered off the other side of the snowed peak before returning.

"They must of followed the seer. Her scent and the others do not follow Isabella's or the one called Jasper's trail off the other side. Who ever did this was after the seer and took her by air. She should have now been out of the shield as they were separated" he hook his head "but I still can not feel her tenor. Something is blocking me! whoever did this wouldn't of gone through all that" he pointed down towards the manors direction. "Just to kill her. Go back to others and inform them. Contact Aro immediately and I will keep on Isabella's trail until I find her".

Felix nodded sharply and left without a word.

Demetri sighed sadly thinking of the great loss below him."Farewell Cullens" he whispered, knowing that at once this got out to the world it was going to cause major ripples.

Many a vampire respected the Cullens and will be frightened at the powers that have brought this coven down.

Demetri included.

Shaking his thoughts off he set off, out of Montana through the Selway-Bitteroot Wilderness. For an hour he zigzagged following Isabella's scent as she obviously followed her sister in what he presumed was a helicopter. His surroundings cleared out when he made it through the mountain range and like a black blur he took through fields, streets, suburbs, cities and highways.

Too fast was he for the human eye to perceive and so he had no worries about being seen. Long was the miles he run unbothered, determined as he ran all the way down into California. It was here on a pier in San Francisco that his trail came to a stop over the ocean.

He stood in the shadows, frustrated but knowing for now his search was over. Isabella Cullen may have been the first to overcome his gift. But, now within five years of her making someone else also has received the ability to block him, where none had ever before in his thousand plus years of living.

His phone rang from his pocket pulling him out of his mind. "Yes" he answered. "I tracked them to San Francisco but their scents are lost over the water."

"Never mind that, Demetri" Jane spoke quickly. "The halfbreed left a message on the house phone. She is with the wolf pack in Forks so we are done here. I have organised a moving truck that will pack all their belongings. I will report to Aro after we check out La Push for it is now most likely were Bella will go, if it as you say that they have lost Alice."

"Yes" Demetri confirmed "Where shall I meet you" he spoke, already making his way off the pier.

"Our safe house in Seattle. We may need to gather more of us before confronting the wolves in such uncertainty." she hissed. "The half-breed girl is they key to finding Isabella. If we find her we find the shield and Master will be his please self so that we all can finally return home".

But little did Jane know even as she spoke those words, how utterly untrue they were. Bella would not be with her daughter when they arrived at La Push, nor would be the one called Renesmee, or any of the shapeshifting wolf pack.

They were meet in that small Indian reserve with nothing but remains of blood, death and werewolf stench.

Mysterious and frightening were the events of this day, none of the Volturi who bared witness to the aftermath of such devastation would leave with anything but fear for the future.

Undeniably, this would be felt by the Volturi for years to come. For a new enemy was born in the ashes of the Cullens, one more insidious and cunning then they had ever faced before.

A/N: and so it begins….


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any Characters. I simply write for the love of it and take no ownership of any further media movie franchise

The old stone castle sat upon the hill, magnificently burnt from the Tuscan heat for over a thousand of years and now stood like a bright light for all those who called it home. A jewel and historical importance to the people who live on the top of the slopping hill. But, a sacred secret was hidden deeply among her ancient stone. Deep within the depths she held beings of ancient pedigree outdating the very stone she guarded in her tight embrace. This secret was well kept by Volterra Castle and in turn protected by the people that kept these ancients from discovery.

Down below the castle clicking heels sounded on the stone floor as a petite brunette woman with almond eyes carried a tray that slightly shook in her well manicured hands. She was scared at of her wits to handle the news that she personally handwritten down on clean parchment from the ever viscous Jane. Word for word was repeated with anger frequently until she go it right for the masters.

Her breath rattled in her chest and her thumbing heart could be heard by all over the castle, bringing curious minds to the great hall. She was nervous as she walked the hall and her mind started replaying memories of her life as if she knew that this was to be her finale end.

She was barley twenty three she thought to herself with a shudder before she knocked hard on the ancient door with the beautiful sculptured handles waiting silently. She did not wait long before the great doors opened and allowed the highly nervous secretary into its depths. She kept her head lowered and tried not to think on how her heart beat encourage the room full to the rim of Vampires as she hurried to the steps, stopping with as much grace as she could as she slipped into a curtsy while lifting her tray up to the three ancient leaders.

Aro sat with poise, one leg crossed over the other with his hands joined in his lap in a reverse pray position. He was still as a statue but his mind was anything but.

The reports out of the America's were disturbing now even hours after receiving that frantic call from Eleazar who informed him on young Alice's phone call to him in what was moments before an attack on the Cullen Coven.

Of course Aro, upon hearing such news sent his best guards who were then cleaning up a problem in Cuba swiftly to the Cullens residence. And now he sat in great anticipation for who would be powerful, confident and daring enough to get around dear Alice's unique visions only to then confront beautiful Isabella and her magnificent shield. Truly! He should not be concerned but the dread he was feeling had his instincts aflame and he was worried for his old friend Carlisle and his very talented coven.

'My Master' a soft voice stuttered from the meek human holding her service tray up and all proprietary left Aro as he swept off his throne and snatched the rolled parchment with all the eagerness of young man, which he was not.

Every curious eye was on Aro as he rolled open the scroll and allowed greedy eyes to fall upon the words before his startled emotions got the best of him.

'No' he sounded in disbelief while his expression crumbled in grief, eyes and hands scrolling for any good news and finding immense relief for just a moment, she was safe at least. Reading on he found a fury building in him to the point his red eyes turned a viscous black, his hands shaking he ripped the scroll apart, breathing heavily.

Caius now alarmed leaned from his seat. "Aro, what is the matter with you? what news from Jane?"

Aro became aware of the eyes on him at his brothers voice before he took a single breath allowing a calm to wash over his features before addressing the room.

"The attack on the Cullens was both real and coordinated as Eleazar was informed from Alice in the moment before an invasion that was successful on most accounts" Aro announced coldly.

"Meaning what Aro!" Caius sharply counted, sitting ram straight and interested in spit himself.

Aro hands threw the destroyed parchment away and started to pace as he repeated the report for the others in the room who have awaited many hours for news on the Cullens, some of course were eager for their demise but Carlisle's time here had most empathetic and fearful on who would attack such a powerful coven.

"Demetri reports that after successfully back tracking the Cullens movements he has come to the conclusion without doubt that a premeditated attack was used against the coven, using the absence of Isabella and her shield to defend. Demetri has determined that both she and the very experienced tactician and fighter Jasper where out on a hunt, many miles away at the time of the attack."

He paused thinking once again of Carlisle his old friend and once enemy for all the wrong reasons. Oh, how he wishes now for one more moment to confer with such a unique individual, to perhaps even earn his forgiveness.

That last thought left a bitter taste in his mouth for it would never be. Aro breathed unexpectedly once more before continuing to his audience. "By our time six hours ago from Eleazar's very frantic call a most violent and coordinated attack has occurred on the Cullen Coven. We knew this was going to happen but now finally my friends we have the answers to why this travesty occurred.

With utter ruthlessness and against our scared laws of stealing another's coven member. These barbarians infiltrated this coven with malicious purpose in their mind as they lead a small army against the second most powerful coven in our world. Using their overwhelming and most likely strongly gifted numbers ended the life of not only my old friend Carlisle but his mate Esme as well as the talented mind reader Edward and his mated siblings Emmet and Rosalie.

And why my friends would an advancing army attack this particular coven who have always been peaceful even when they stood in many a number in defence for their half vampiric daughter Renesmee!

And who again I ask were the entrepreneurs of that peace five years ago."

"The shield" Heidi announced.

"The seer" came at the same time from Santiago. And many started to shout their agreement as the likeliest of the Cullens for poaching against Volturi Law.

Aro lifted his hand and all was silent. "Yes both are as equally important but no, it was not beautiful Isabella or Alice's mate the southern so called God of War Jasper. It was Alice and her gift that was convoluted enough to lay death to this inspiring coven.

But No! By their very next actions these attackers may even still want Isabella and her magnificent shield and indeed this attack was clearly made in preparation for her absence. Knowing that if they went after her later when she was without her covens protection she would be devastatingly vulnerable. Finding her will be our first priority for we know if this new enemy were to have both Alice and Isabella. They could easy be used against us effectively.

It is known now that Isabella and Jasper arrived back from their hunt no more then half an hour after the attack to find devastation of their coven members but for all the misery they did not linger and pursued the trail of Alice to only find that she had obviously been air lifted on top of the nearest peak. Jane was able to discern where they next would be from a voice message saved on the receiver. Renesmee called to tell her family that her mate the shapeshifting wolf Jacob had extended his own hunting trip with his pack beyond the area of La Push where she was staying with the mutt's father.

Upon the arrival of the Volturi into the lands of the wolves there was no resistance of any kind as they followed the land up to the community of La Push to be only meet with a bloodbath of the entire reserve. This was clearly a coordinated attack in time with the Cullens but the most disturbing manor in which it was done was something else".

Aro turned to take a quick look to Caius before continuing knowing this knowledge most of all would upset him. "Jane reports all though hard to discern the difference between shape shifter and the smell of werewolf there was still enough difference for her and Demetri to conclude that at least two or more large packs of werewolves had lay waste to the entire community".

Caius hissed and stood from his chair. "If what you say is true, then we are facing a enemy who has not only broken coven law but have joined with those abdominal beasts." He turned the awaiting vampires in room. "I have heard enough! Go and gather yourselves quickly for we leave for the new world immediately" he spat out quickly. He had no care for Carlisle or his dangerous coven but anything that could defeat them and worked with werewolves became a immediate enemy of his.

Aro calmly put his arm on Caius and turned to his Volturi. "You have until the bell tower struck the hour to be back here and ready to leave." All were quick to file out with eagerness to be on the hunt for these criminals, while the human secretary smiled to herself in relief that she was equally ignored and left.

Marcus shifted for the first time that day when the great hall shut and turned and stood with his brother speaking in a soft gravelling voice. "The hybrid still lives Aro but I can no longer sense her bond with young Isabella nor Isabella herself. It is strange" he said holding his palm out for Aro who took it quietly with a thoughtful frown.

"Perhaps her power has grown, she was just a newborn when we saw her last but it matters not for she lives Marcus. Demetri confirms her scent in La Push trailing after the older scent of werewolves. They believe Renesmee and the Quileute imprints of the Wolves were drugged and taken on foot by the attacking werewolves leading Isabella and Jasper on a chase across America."

Caius seethed. "It is a good diversion while the get the seer away. She just lost her mate and now her daughter has been deliberately taken as bait to keep her and the empath away. This is the work of someone not only familiar with the coven but has the intelligence and skill of strategy to use their weekness against them.

"Where is Stephan and Vladimir" Marcus asked remembering the two of them standing with the Cullens ready to battle but with no real ties to the animal drinkers. Out of all her stood witness to young Isabella's power and usefulness of Alice he could see how they would gain from such a ploy and said as much.

Caius just scoffed "This is not the work of those fools as they are currently treating Croatia as feeding holiday. I have already had to send Mariska to deal with them just two days past."

Aro allowed his thoughts to drift while his brothers bickered on the who's and how. He would not have imagine five years ago to feel this much sadness at the loss of his true friend Carlisle. But back then he was enraptured by the unique human turned vampire Isabella and let his craving for her mixed with his greedy feelings for Alice bewitched him to nearly leading the Volturi to their death as a consequence.

Perhaps he learnt a truth that day about the strength of the Cullens. But, in his mind he liked to think that it was Isabella's face so full of hurt and anguish as she brought fire to him in Alice's vision that halted his desperation and gave him the very warning he failed to understand.

She was beautiful the second time they met as she stood in defiance against him and more stunning then Alice's vision gave her credit for. He was enamoured straight away and was quick to take her hand under the disguise of reading her mind to pull her closer and smell her sweet scent. When she caught his eye he held it with rapture for she did not look away, it did disturbing things, her effect on him and yet he was almost sure in that moment that he may of not been the only one effected for considering the time and place she too shared that blissful moment with him, only pulling away at Edwards possessive growl.

Agh but it has been centuries since he has felt these feelings, the mating bond he held with Supulcia feeling all but null and void. But, most unfortunately for him Isabella was married and had chosen in his mind the weakest of all vampires. He had hope to convince her before arriving of how much Edward and her coven had failed her in her ill begotten choice at making a immortal child, but of course he had instead been left floundering at the miracle child that was Renesmee.

And she was a miracle as he found out in more ways then one. Her gift so selfless and warm in his mind, like a fresh summer wind. Plans were altered immediately for Aro could not remember a time when he felt so desperately greedy for the outcome he traveled so far into the new world for.

Perhaps if he had gotten his way they would all be here instead of dead or running. At least then Isabella and her unique daughter would be safe, Edward could of been eventually dealt with for he was sure the weakness in him would no doubt be the cause. Of course,Carlisle would be alive and dear little Alice would of never left the castle to be kidnapped in the first place.

As if it was all so simple Aro sighed. Such thoughts were not productive if he was to lead his coven to bring justice as per Volturi law to this complete travesty. He will find Isabella and give her the sanctuary she is need of while providing his extensive resources at finding both her daughter and Alice.

He might not of gotten what he desired five years ago but this new enemy may of unexpectedly given him a new chance with the object of his desire and Aro was too much of an opportunist to not see the advantage of this, mating bond to Edward or not. He was convinced there was more to Isabella. She was too strong to allow Edward's death to destroy her, not when she has something so important to live on and fight for. Her miracle child – in more ways then one.

A slow smile spread across his face as his guard rejoined them. 'I-s-a-b-e-l-l-a' Aro thought with care as his smile widens even further because it was all so clear now to him. He would lead his guard to victory, punish those who dared flout Volturi law to a viscous end that would be felt around the world for years to come whilst insuring him that of his greatest prize yet. The lovely Isabella and her sister Alice.

'Such a Prize' he thought with relish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope you like my Aro.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to SM Works or any Movie Picture. I simply write for the love it and take no money for these characters or story.
> 
> A/N: A very happy Mother’s Day to all the mum’s out there. I was especially happy about my J’adore from Dior and the lovely home made pop up card from my beautiful six year old son.
> 
> On that note, I am very happy to have this out on such a special day. Enjoy!

5 Years Later

Upon the rocky hillside of San Diego and hidden in the suns shadow stood two figures that could have been made out of stone, if not for the fierce gazes that looked down upon the city below. 

Waiting for the final dip of the sun to begin what they would tell you was a long awaited first meeting of the enemy.

“Bella”

Flashback 

An opened training ground in the mountain range of Montana somewhat close to their home. Jasper getting his arse handed to him by the new aspect of her power, only for it to turn into the worse pain imaginable, tearing at her insides. 

Edward

PAIN, PAIN, PAIN

TORTURE

SUFFERING 

Dead

Gone

Nothing

Her mating bond torn to shreds as her sanity was saved only with the aspect of her unique shield she was only getting used to this past year of training.

Bella breathed heavily as her mind snapped back into herself, “Jasper! How many times I have asked you not to call me that”. She snapped feeling unbalanced.

Jasper looked across at her concerned, knowing logically the pain he just called upon her memory. But it has been years since he was able to feel it from her as an empath.

“Sorry, Isabella” he softly spoke, already regretting his slip. Knowing how difficult this nightmare of a journey that has not only taken the life of Isabella’s mate, their family, but the kidnapping of his mate and Isabella’s daughter as well.

It was clear that neither one of them were Bella and Jazz anymore and any reminder was painful at best.

For years they had been following scraps of information all over the world, for the tiniest whisper of the location of either Alice or Renesmee. It was the only thing that kept them sane, the hope that not all was lost.

A year ago Jacob and the pack left Isabella and Jasper decided to go to Europe, following long ago myths for a hint of the truth where the werewolves would exist. It had been so long since they all chased their tail scents throughout America those first few months after they had abducted Renesmee and the Quilite imprints.

Isabella was quite aware that she was being baited away from Alice, but with her daughters life on the line even Jasper in those first months agreed to continue the search. Unfortunately for them it would be a useless chase across the country. None knew how long the werewolves stayed in the country, purposely given a tantalising chase beyond anything they have worked against. The wolves mates and Renesmee were alive and they now knew their bonds were used against the shapeshifters and herself to keep them all chasing.

Renesmee remains alive and only through Jacob could she even tell. Her physical shield was both a blessing and a curse and Isabella is reminded of that fact everyday when she looks upon the desperation and suffering of Jake and the complete misery that comes over Jasper more often then not.

Isabella is cold and has been blistering cold from the moment her Edward was ripped away from her. How? she does not know, but with her new aspect of her power she was only beginning to understand had in that moment of sheer agony when Edwards life was cut short, wrapped unseen shields around the gaping torn bonds of mating she shared with her love and partially around those of her daughter once she found her abducted.

Isabella has never experienced life without her mate, for she feels nothing through the shielded bond. It was if Edward never existed, only her memory told her different if not her emotions.

Sometimes Isabella thinks of herself as pure selfish and wonders how she could ever of judged Victoria as cruel and evil when she herself seemed entirely incapable of feeling the same lost that drove the fiery redhead to avenge her mate.

Of course Isabella tried many times in the first year to bring down her internal shields, for she did not like feeling nothing when she knew she should be feeling something akin to what Marcus of the Volturi goes through everyday. Sometimes she wishes to feel nothing but the burning agony of loss and loneliness to negate the coldness that has become her.

But as time moved forward Isabella’s focus and determination on their mission was what held their motley crew together, for she was the only one not tied down to agonising stretched bonds. She essentially became their leader and in such uncertain times she could no longer afford the thought of altering herself to reflect their loss in anyway.

They all became very good at adapting and hiding themselves while investigating their missing family. But for all their efforts, five years later they still had very little on the killers and kidnappers. It was not like the Cullens had made many enemies and Isabella was certain unlike the rest of her family that the Volturi had no part in this, she was very sure that Caius would never work so openly with werewolves.

She was unsure though if she could trust the Volturi, aware they too had been searching for them inexhaustibly from the very beginning. But, Isabella was not yet ready to ask the very vampires who threatened their existence before for help and so vigorously shielded and hid her remaining family from all the close encounters for which there were many over the years.

She didn’t think they needed the Volturi’s help anyway, for in the last few years and while not finding their loved ones locations they were still not without any information. Whoever took Alice and the girls was a shrouded secretive organisation of vampires and werewolves dating back well before they had any right to be. 

Those they interviewed, who had come across them were quite silent to the point of frustration. If it were not for Jasper’s emotional influence they would of never got confirmation that the werewolves they were chasing worked for the same group who killed her family and took Alice.

Nor would they have received the information that brought them here today and through a human of all things in Boston last month, linking a warehouse company to a symbol the group was known to use through their black market sales. An a elite antique company simply known as Ankh Inc, founded in the early 1920’s with multiple sites all over the world.

What this connection proved they did not know at first. Vampires have been using humans for centuries to do all sorts of things. It shouldn’t of surprised them but it did, because of how well they were able to work so many different avenues and not come under Volturi notice.

But they did it somehow because the information they received back from Peter and Charlotte confirmed Aro’s increasingly impatience with finding answers. Isabella thought they could of been at least bit proud of how far they have come without such resources as the Volturi.

The humans who worked for Ankh Inc were of course the most convenient to capture, if only because they were the only ones that have found so far. The workers minds always carried the same thrall of too much vampire voodoo as Isabella would like to say, remembering her own time as a human around immortal beings, but also knowing whatever was going on in the workers minds was heighten tenfold. It was this knowledge that helped them reverse such controlling methods once they in fact worked out how their enemy was achieving this overexposure.

Isabella learnt to use her shield creatively with the captured Humans. Destroying their enhanced thrall with her mental shield and allowing Jasper to then dose them with his power. It worked too easy once they got the hang of working their powers together and soon they were able to piece together the breadcrumbs that lead them to San Diego. 

There was something of great importance hidden in this warehouse and by their thoughts it was most likely a captured vampire as to the many orders of bagged blood smuggled into the city.

Was it Alice? They did not know, but even so this was the first contact with their enemy and they were ready for a fight if it came to that. But, if it was Alice………

Isabella looked over to Jasper, who eyes were locked down the hill over looking the industrial sites. His shoulders tight and hands clenched besides his body in anticipation.

If it was Alice, She would need to be on high alert to cover Jasper if he loses himself, which he would as would anyone who had been parted from their mate as they have. 

“You ready” Jasper spoke quietly “Only a few more minutes”.

Isabella came out of her thoughts only to watch the sun finally dipped low enough behind the City.

“Of course my brother, I have been ready for years”.

Jasper smirked and dipped his head in at her answer before taking off down the hill, Isabella followed quickly from behind. It did not take them long but they still had to hide every now and then behind corners or take some back streets to keep away from the work traffic going home for the night.

When they arrived at the warehouse, they were instantly on alert. It looked abandoned, no lights on in the car park or building and the wire gate didn’t even have a padlock. ‘Something wasn’t right’ Isabella thought as they creeped up to the front entrance.

The windows, walls and factory doors were covered in gang graffiti, nothing gave way to the signal of their enemy. She wondered suddenly if the information they had been given was false and looked to Jasper.

But he just put a finger to his mouth silencing any questions and jerked his head to the side entrance. Isabella followed him to a door that finally gave off some answers. It had many fingerprints on the handle and then scuff marks on the concrete, it gave off a door not properly on its hinges. Jasper set to work and quickly picked the lock and then they were in.

It was pitched black inside for humans but with their eyes they could see fine. The entrance took them down a small corridor of restrooms and out to the main floor. It looked as abandoned as the rest of this place looked. Isabella could feel a heavy weight of disappointment coming on as she looked around noticing the steps leading up to the offices. The place felt deserted she thought as she began to make her way to the stairs and just as her foot went to step on the first step she smelt it.

Blood, very faint but her heightened smell picked it up and it was coming from the wall in front of her. She moved but Jasper too noticing was quicker. He eyes searched the fingerprints to see around the beams of timber and applied some pressure on a part of the wall which had the most of them.

It popped open and they walked into a narrowed corridor with only two doors facing opposite on either side and a dead end. Jasper opened the left door and they both went in to find a refrigerator pack to the rim of bagged blood, there was a mechanical hand inside, used to pick the bags and slot them through the air pipe attached to the refrigerator.

Both their eyes followed the pipeline up and across the room and through the wall towards the other room. Isabella looked at Jasper who gave a anxious but excited nod before rushing to the other room.

There was no Alice in that room unfortunately but a vampire all the same. He was sitting crossed legged in a translucent shield of some sought. His dull red eyes were open but there was nothing going on inside of them. The pipe from before was back and now inside the shield. There was another mechanic hand that looked to be the thing feeding the vampire and removing the bags with yet another suction air pipe, this one coming directly out of the floor.

They could not smell him and Isabella thought the shield made more sense now. It was not there to keep the vampire in but to keep other vampires from smelling and tracking him. The shield emitted from a thin silver remote of the ground in front of the vampire, so Isabella went and stomped on it breaking it off.

The unknown vampire did not react at all. He continued to look blankly forward, completely unaware of the two vampires in the room. ‘Strange’ Isabella thought as she took a good look at him. He reminded her of someone with his defined jaw and high cheekbones. She took in his sculptured silver blonde eyebrows which lead up to equally striking silver blond hair and finally knew who he reminded her of.

Jasper spoke quietly for the first time since arriving. “I am not getting a reading on him. It is as if he is asleep or maybe unconscious would be the better term in this case”.

Isabella didn’t react as she was still starring at the vampire who somehow looked a lot like Caius Volturi and then not for his features where much stronger then that of blonde Vampire King. Who was he? she wondered internally.

Jasper stepped forwards “I am going to try and touch him to see if that makes any difference, Isabella be ready for anything”.

Isabella nodded preparing her shields in case she needed to be extra quick as Jasper placed his hand on the the vampires shoulder and closed his eyes. It was only moments later that he frowned and withdrew.

“I still can’t get a read on him” he shook his head.“There is something blocking me, I don’t understand” Jasper finished with some frustration.

I knew in that moment he was bitterly disappointed not to have come across Alice and so was I to be honest. “What if I shield him? If there is something blocking you I may be able to deactivate whatever power that has him likes this” and she used her hand to motion to the unaware vampire.

Jasper moved away and said “It can’t hurt to try I suppose”.

Isabella tilted her head as her mental shield slipped over and off the vampire. “That has never happened before, it is like his mind has a thick layer of oil and my shield does not know where to grip”.

“Try touching him and see if that makes any difference” Jasper encouraged.

Isabella knelt by the vampire and took both of his hands into hers and let her shield free. This time she didn’t force her shield out but took her time trying to find a way in. She touched and probed the slick oil and notice that wherever she applied pressure, it thinned out that she could almost feel an opening.

As she worked her shield on the oily substance thinning it, the oil started to feel as if it was smearing itself onto her shield getting really warm. She suddenly felt it, eyes so intently on her for just a moment before the oily feeling and warmth was gone and she was in to the mind of the strange Caius lookalike vampire, putting up her shield on him and doubling her own still out of sorts for that split second she felt someone other then the vampire she was trying to protect. Hopefully her shield was stronger then the oily substance and not the other way around.

She did not have time to think on that strange presence further because the sleeping vampire in front of her was now fully awake and holding her by the throat with a growl.

Jasper dosed the vampire with a heavy amount of calm before Isabella used her physical shield to knock him off herself . He went flying and crashed into the wall behind him leaving a nice shaped dint.

“Who Are You? And where the in Hades am I?” Came the cultured voice of the now awake vampire, his cold calculating eyes on them.

Jasper who could now feel the emotions of the other vampire thought it was now a good time to intervene for this vampire was both very old and mighty pissed off.

He took a step forward and lowered his head slightly to show he was not here to fight him. “My name is Jasper and this” pointing at Isabella “Is my sister Isabella, who you might want to thank for pulling you out of what ever was keeping you trapped”.

The vampire now taking in our non threatening poses, slowly came out of his crouch to stand tall and began to look around the room, taking in the mechanical arms, air pipes and with a quick sniff the blood left in the air. 

His emotions started going haywire again as he growled. “What the fuck is this”

“We don’t know” Isabella spoke softly “we just found you here, while looking for someone else. We don’t know what happened to you, but we can tell you that you have been here for sometime.”

“And we are not your enemy” Jasper finished.

The vampire frowned “I was at my compound….. conducting business?” he paused closing his eyes “No that was not right, I was just about to head out for a feed” he scrunched his face up before letting out a shout of pain, gripping his head.

It was over before it began and eyes shot opened more clear this time. “I remember everything” he seethed “My name is Gaius and I thank you young Isabella and Jasper from freeing me from my prison. But we can not stay here and must leave at once before he becomes aware. I know who you both are and you are in incredible danger if you stay here”.

“We can’t leave yet” Jasper stated. “We haven’t searched this whole place, there still might be a chance”.

“Your mate is not here Jasper Cullen! and this was a trap” shouted Gaius.

But even as he said this Isabella let out a small gasp and Jaspers eyes turned to her as she begun to fall backwards.

“BELLA”. Jasper screamed as he caught Isabella before she hit the ground. Her eyes rolling to the back of her head as Jasper shook her.

“BELLA”

“BELLA WAKE UP”.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With her shield broken and so vulnerable, Bella’s power is about to be put to the test. Can she find the strength to break through?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any rights to SM Works or any Movie Picture. I simply write for the love it and take no money for these characters or story.

(Isabella POV) _Wrong_

Isabella’s eyes followed the piping from the refrigerator, all the way up and across the room leading out of the wall and towards the other room before turning to Jasper, who had a anxious look on his face.

_Wrong_

‘something was wrong’ she thought even as both herself and Jasper rushed out of the room and across to the other one. Somehow I already knew they would not find Alice but the other vampire…..

_WRONG!!!_

The unknown vampire was sitting cross legged on the floor behind a translucent shield.

‘Déjà’ Isabella thought feeling sick even as she crashed the remote under her foot and took a good look at the vampire.

I gasped at his exotic beauty and felt an incredible pull come out from nowhere. I so wanted to badly reach out and touch his silky shining black hair, and trace the curve of his tanned strong jaw, only to look upon his lips and wonder if they were as soft and full as they looked.

I pulled back into myself both sick and entranced at the same time hardly aware that Jasper spoke and was placing his hand upon this most intriguing and frightening vampires shoulder.

_Wrong_

‘This is not right’ Isabella thought confused even as Jasper carried on.

“I can’t get a read on him” he shook his head “there is something blocking me, I don’t understand” Jasper finished with some frustration.

“Let me try” I spoke before thinking, feeling myself sit against my will as I picked up those strong hands and a tingled went down my spine.

_Wrong_

it was heavenly, I hummed as I pushed my shield out and it slid across smooth oily panels before melding completely with the other.

I was flying with power rushing through me. In and out, in and out. It was blinding, wiping away everything that came before and suddenly I could feel and see this time a pair of glowing red eyes and then my world stopped completely.

“Hello Isabella” his eyes shinned a beautiful mixture of reds captivating me. I no longer felt sick as his eyes warmed me up, sliding through me. “I have waited for so long my little one, so long.”

He purred turning my insides to butter.

“Waited for what” I breathed out coming closer to him completely mesmerised.

He took my arms whilst pulling me to him. “Forgive me Isa, I have not yet introduced myself” he spoke as he rubbed small circles across my arms sending shivers up my spine. 

“My name little one, is Jeremiah and you my beauty are what I have waited for patiently all these lost centuries. Can you not feel it?” he took his right hand off to cup my jaw. 

My eyes fluttered as a wave of heavy lust washed over me.

“I do” I breathed as fell upon those lips and met his with a great thrum to my body. His other hand crushed me to his strong body and I clenched my hands around his lovely neck, while our tongues sought each other’s warmth.

He was delicious, I moaned as he trailed his soft lips down my neck, before I trapped his head seeking them once more. We both moaned together and I took his bottom lip between my teeth. It was heavenly bliss as he growled and took control of the kiss and I surrendered easily to my mate.

I pulled back suddenly shocked at my thoughts. “Mate” I spoke astonished, my eyes wide.

_Wrong_

He smiled tenderly at me smoothing down my hair and my sudden unease. “Of course you are my mate, Isa” he learnt in and kissed me again and I could not help my response, he was mine. I felt as if I had died and was reborn. I gasped at the sensation of his tongue on mine. He was glorious I thought, melding myself to his body feeling his firm manhood. I pressed myself to it and he hissed, pulling back and looking at me with black eyes.

“Come my love” he said standing and pulling me up with him. “We should leave this place”.

Jeremiah took my hand a pulled me out of the room, his intense-eyes never leaving me as the world went fuzzy. 

_Wrong_

He pulled me forward seeing my sudden frown and took my hand to kiss it before laying it over his shoulder and grabbing my waist.

My mind flickered again and this time I noticed a distortion. ‘What?’ somehow we were in a penthouse over looking the city of San Diego. ‘What?’ that is not right’ I thought panicked before Jeremiah pulled my hair roughly back settling his lips back onto mine again.

I was lost once more and thoughts of unease shattered to make way for my intense need for this man. I wanted him so badly, my mate! More then I ever wanted anything before him.

I ripped open his black button up shirt, sending buttons flying across the room and taking in his tanned abs, my hands shaking even as I felt more of his skin, I was consumed.

_Bella_

Jeremiah groaned “Isa” and I jumped and wrapped my legs around him bringing his lips back onto mine. He grabbed my arse and gave it a squeeze with his strong hands and I could smell my own wetness in response.

He growled again ripping away my top and bra and set his lips to work on my right nipple as I started grinding myself onto his manhood. He palmed my other deliciously as he began to walk us to the bedroom. Jeremiah threw me onto the grand navy silk bed and climbed straight onto me.

His black eyes finding mine with such smugness and lust.

_Wrong_

_Bella_

“You are so beautiful Isa, enthralling, warm and utterly mine!” He purred like a great kitten and I reached for him both mesmerised and confused. He took my arms and held them above my head.

“One day you will understand why I did this my love, to have this one moment with you, forgive me darling”.

And he was tearing at my pants pulling them off with an urgency now, but he stopped just as quickly, grinding his teeth, his face screwed up tightly as if he was in pain all of a sudden.

_Wrong_

_Wrong_

_Wrong_

I sat up freaked out and the walls of the apartment started to run like water on an oil painting.

_Bella!_

“Oh No, my love not yet. Such strength you have even as weakened by the filth you drink. But it is no matter, look at me Isa!”

‘This is wrong’ I thought watching the walls melt until I could see…. was that Jasper? 

“Bella” Jasper shouted.

“ **NO** ”

Jeremiah forced my chin to look at him, furious eyes captured mine and everything faded again, I was spiralling further down on ecstasy once more.

I was naked, I realised even as I felt his warm lips and strong hands feeling the contours of my body to perfection. 

“Now that is better” he hummed, rubbing his manhood against me. “Not even ten years old and already you are such a handful, but soon my Isa this will be as real to you as it is to me my love. It must be!”.

“I will have my mate” he growled and swooped down between my legs, his warm lips upon my weeping flesh, the sensation more then I could bare. “Jeremiah” I moaned grabbing his silky hair and bringing him closer to my need.

It was a glorious magical moment of surrender and when his fingers joined within my heat, I arched my back feeling myself building higher and higher till I broke screaming my relief.

He came to me naked with my juices running down his mouth and I felt overwhelming cured of all the coldness of these last years. He was right I could feel it. He was mine and I was no longer alone.

_Bella_

“I don’t know what you have done to me or why you think you need forgiveness for setting me free. I know as mad as this is and wrong….somehow….and yet I still want you Jeremiah”.

_Bella_

He pulled me to him kissing me softly as he lined himself to my core. “Not wrong my little one, Just painfully necessary to gain you back”.

_Wrong_

And he started to push into me, but it was strange for I didn’t feel the sensation of fullness I was expecting. 

“BELLA!!!”

I looked back at a now panicked and then furious Jeremiah who was fading. “So you want to fight me Isabella. Very well leave then my precious, go back to your pointless life but know this Isa you cannot escape me for I have you now in my grasp and I am never letting you go.”

And then he was gone and I was looking up at a panicked Jasper before my eyes took on the many empty blood bags surrounding me, whilst the strange Caius look alike was looking at me with real concern.

“Bella, Please” Jasper shook me crying like he had been doing this whole time.

Then it all hit me at once, the realisation of all that just happened to me had me. It turned my stomach and it was quickly followed up with vomiting most of the blood they had given me.

I was sickened to the core even as I felt that monster’s oil like infection throughout my mind.

I was trapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are curious at what I am doing, please leave a comment!


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter Five

They were out in the car park when they all heard it. A cry of a wolf in the middle of industrial San Diego and one glance up at the full moon told them all what that meant.

“Run” Jasper whispered.

None argued with him, as three speed off and away from the warehouse. There was multiple sounds of poundings paws on the pavement behind, made even more terrifying was the follow up beastly breaths and growls.

They were never going to make it.

“Up here” Gaius pointed up to his left before taking a flying leap on top of a factory with Isabella and Jasper just a second behind him.

Isabella had never ran and jumped so hard. She had no time to even think on more of what happened back in the warehouse and did not know if that was a blessing or not.

She could still feel him all over her shield and did not know which situation was better. The wolves snipping at their heels or the vampire who thought he had some claim on her, as if that was some justification to his mental rape of both her mind and body.

Another call of wolves upon the air, though this time coming from the east. Course adjusted and they were running at full speed towards the city. 

“Gaius, we can not lead them into the city, it will be a blood bath!.” Jasper called on the wind.

Gaius kept on running “We have no choice, our only chance of losing them is out to sea.”

Isabella frankly did not care about what course they were taking, she just wanted away. However, even as she thought that. Something happened so quickly that had them turning tail and running towards the eastern front.

Vampires 

Many, many vampires.

“Isabella, your shield!” screamed Jasper, even us he threw out a massive amount of lethargic power. Slowing done the masses after them.

“No Isabella, don’t! If you give out too much at once, you are going to weaken and he will surely find his way back in to your mind” Gaius countered Jasper. “Just focus on keeping your shield on yourself.”

Isabella didn’t think she could use her shields at the moment anyway. 

Soon they were racing along the city streets, heading straight towards SeaWorld! Isabella suddenly realised, bringing a childhood memory of a visit to the place with Renee upon arriving and settling in Arizona.

They rushed through the tourist attraction and was just about to jump onto the pier when both Jasper and Gaius grabbed their heads, falling to the ground.

‘Clap, Clap, Clap’ sounded behind Isabella.

She whipped herself around into a crouch as a single row of seven vampires came forward. The woman in the middle stepped forward still clapping. She was a tall and thin brunette who wore an outfit similar to that of the first early settlers to America. Still her prudish face and scent could not hide her age. She was much older then her dress wear suggested.

Isabella was tightly bound as she faced off against this ancient being.

“Tut tut Isa, you loose again” she whispered menacingly with a great smirk on her pale narrow face. 

“What do you want?” Isabella asked hoping to buy sometime to work out what happened to the men.

“What I want does not matter. You are pathetic in this state, do you know that Isa? I have never understood my Masters need for you” she paused briefly and looked at Isabella with such disgust and scoffed “Without him your powerless, you always have been and for that I can hardly see why the most powerful master in the world is attracted to such a weakness as you. 

She laughed with cruelty and spat out. “Cursed to be born again and again and yet your still so predictable. The only fun I get out of it these days, is the killing of your mate. Why, what was the name of this one – Edward?” She giggled nastily “The man baby, crying out for his father. Carlisle, Carlisle.” She called out dramatically while finishing with laughter.

Isabella couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but the mention of Edward and her family brought a fire deep into her belly, she left off a growl of hatred at this insane women.

“Oh, don’t be such a spoil sport Isa. A girl has to get her kicks somewhere and your lovely bronzed haired lover fit the bill, so to say. Why! I even gave his head a decorative spot on my wall. He was such a pretty boy”.

“Who the hell are you?” Isabella spoke with disgust, even as she located the vamp hurting her brother and Gaius.

“Why Isa, the Lady Meredith. But of course you don’t remember. Death would do that to you I suppose, which makes it all the more fun to torment you when you are in this half state of being. Unfortunately for me though, the Master demands for your safe return to him promptly and so pretty Isa we cannot play this little game of ours, Yet!.”

Isabella didn’t care for anymore of the insane Vampire words and used her time to keep her shield around herself as she searched for the vampire hurting Jasper and Gaius. 

“You talk too much” Isabella finally replied only after locating the vampire she wanted and flew into action, unleashing her physical shield to wrap around the vampires and joisting them high above, before throwing the lot of them all the way towards the Alpines on the outskirts of the city and beyond. 

By the time she was done, the men had recovered from their fall. “Let’s go before they get back” was her tired reply even as she thought maybe that Gaius was right about letting out her shield as it was costly on her, making it difficult to hold off this Jeremiah and his oil like power that she could still feel clinging to her shield. 

Jasper aware of more coming upon them quickly lead the way down the pier and soon all of them were speeding under the water up state and beyond. Gaius motioned to take the lead. Vampires could run under water but they could not talk.

So with blind faith, so unlike the two of them these past years. They followed Gaius great miles up past the east coast, to a very familiar territory. 

Rising from the depths, Isabella was hit with the breeze of the Olympic National Park. It burned her to be this close to everything in her past, her still alive father, the place she was born and where she had died, only to rise to her new life as a vampire, a mother and a wife.

For the first time truly in five years Isabella was hit painfully with many emotions all at once. To feel the lost of what was taken from them so very harshly and with such brutality.

Edward, her mate she could no longer feel.

Alice, lost to them and still no new answers.

Esme, her beautiful mother.

Carlisle and his warm smile full of pride as he gazed upon them.

Rosalie whose perfection was only matched to the warmth in her heart.

Emmett her big brother in every way.

Billy, loyal man and brilliant father.

La Push and every lost soul she both knew and the ones she did not.

And most of all, her daughter.

It was too much!

Isabella fell upon the beach with a devastating wail, gripping her stomach in pain, gasping for breath and wishing the venom in her eyes would drop. For no one deserved it more than her family, both Cullen and Quileute.

A weight slumped beside her and pulled her into his arms. She looked up to those broken golden eyes, suffering just as much as she and so Isabella gripped onto Jasper with all her might.

Gaius moved away with the deepest sympathy etched onto his face. He would give them this moment to clearly mourn their shared sadness. But they couldn’t stay out too long without protection, especially Isabella.

Gaius knew no good way to come out and tell the duo that he knew their faces and names before ever meeting them. ‘But, that could all wait’ Gaius thought. What was more an issue was getting to his compound and ripping that changeling sack of filth masquerading around with his face.

Oh the utter hatred he felt for his once friend Darius, knew no bounds!. Gaius felt like a fool, for how could he of thought for even one moment, that he was out deceiving the master of illusions. When did that bastard turn his friend?. Had he infiltrated his coven from the very beginning, knowing that Gaius would never let go of the past.

The death of Theron, his brother in venom and greatest confident.

Ripped from him centuries ago all because the bastard illusionist could not let her go. Gaius’s painful eyes drifted to Isabella. He could never hate this magnificent being, for how could he when he loved her so. His sister and mate of his brother, in another life.

Watching her now, even his perfect recall could not come close to the real thing, for she was as beautiful as her name, his Bel, their Isabella, our Bella , the monster’s Isa.

Whichever variation she was in the timeline did not matter for she was essentially the same. The brightest of them all and Gaius had centuries ago sworn on her ashes to protect her. Thought that with his power he was doing exactly that. What a fool he has been, trapped in illusions only to be set free by the very person he was trying to save. ‘What a spectacular failure’ Gaius thought to himself, as he watched her mourn with her brother.

His mind went back to Theron instantly, knowing even though he failed to keep Isabella safe from having her mate murdered. There was still a chance to protect her from Jeremiah. With what he witness from her this past hour. Of course he knew the key to keeping him out, but even Gaius was in awe on how much of her true power was shining through at this stage. ‘She is beyond anything I expected, magnificent’ Gaius thought with rapture.

Isabella and Jasper were getting back to their feet, breaking off Gaius’s thought process as they walked over to him hand in hand.

“Our apologies Gaius, we did not expect to be back here so soon.” Jasper spoke softly.

“Where are you taking us?” Isabella cut in with some bite, even if she knew the vampire could not of possibly known what bringing them here would do to them. He was nice enough to give them some space, so Isabella thought it was probably why she hadn’t exploded at him.

“Seattle” Gaius spoke with a smooth tenor. “I have a residence just out of Seattle but first we need to go into the city and get Isabella more blood”.

“The Olympic National Park is right here” this time Isabella did snap, not at all liking that suggestion.

Gaius suddenly rubbed his face. “Look I get that you have some ethical reasons or whatever about drinking from a human. But, I hate to break it to you sweetheart. You can either purge the animal blood and replace it with true strength or you can let the bastard back in.”

Jasper slowly nodded as if not to spook her and squeezed her hand. “Sugar, if there was any other way you know I would say it. But darling, it took fifty litres of human blood to get that fucker out of your mind.

Jasper pointed at Gaius, but kept his eyes locked upon Isabella’s. “His right, you can’t shield against him just on animal blood. I watched that fail and if it was not for Gaius, I would never of thought human blood would strengthen your shield. Please Isabella, don’t make me watch that again.”

Isabella frowned “But, humans Jasper?. Are we to raid every hospital of their reserves?.”

“No Isabella” Gaius shook his head. “Bag blood is weakened, stronger then animal but nowhere near strong enough as the true source. For our enemy is powerful, ancient and will be waiting vigorously for the cracks in your armour. He will expect it now, given your current diet. So only a full conversion to the traditional diet will give you the strength to keep him out.”

Isabella flinched at the thought of letting that monster back in for even a second. But at the cost of human life. Carlisle would be so disappointed, not to mention her memory of Edward.

“We need to survive this night Isabella” Gaius spoke again. “I can tell you now, that their search for us has only just begun. We don’t have the time to despair on moralistic opinions.”

Isabella glared at him.

“I won’t let you go through it alone” Jasper spoke from her side softly.

“You wouldn’t be able to control yourself” Isabella shook her head. “You would be a killer again”.

“Then so be it” Jasper spoke tensely “I will not lose you” he grabbed her other hand pulling her into him. “You are all I have, I would sacrifice much to keep it that way and I know deep down, so would you”.

It was those words that she knew she would cave. For how could she possibly forget the desperate search for her daughter and sister Alice. She could never throw away that for all of the humanity she realised.

She raised her head to Gaius and severely spoke. “So be it then.”

Gaius smiled at her satisfied. “Good, then we should go right now”.

“Agreed” Jasper spoke for the both of them.

They reached the city at half past ten on a Saturday night. It was a cloudy night but that didn’t stop the thrum of people out on the town. Jasper took her hand and lead her towards an area he knew Peter and Charlotte used once when visiting their home in Forks.

If either were going to take to this diet, then there was no way Jasper would let her go through this by herself. They would hunt only those whose crimes deserved it.

It didn’t take Jasper long to pick up on the gang rape two blocks away. He would be lying to say he didn’t feel as nervous about this as Isabella and so he gripped her hand a little tighter for comfort, pulled her along just wanting to get it done.

There was five of them. Two were holding her down with one arm while the other hand was fondling their own cocks. Three of the men had a cock rammed into each hole. The poor girl couldn’t have been more then eighteen.

Isabella let go of his hand and growled softly. If this was who Jasper was intending for their meals, then she perhaps could do this with only a little guilt.

Gaius stood up next to her. “Do you mind if I join you?”

Isabella gave a tense nod. “There is more then enough” she turned to Jasper and tried to smile. “Thank you for making this easier”.

“No problems darling” he waved off his imaginary hat to which brought a unexpected giggle out Isabella, glad the he was making this easier.

“I will take the girl” Gaius spoke softly “if that will make it more bearable?”.

“Yes, Thank you” Isabella spoke before allowing her instincts to carry her forward. She was on the first one in a heartbeat, wrenching his head back to gain access and only had a moment of hesitation when she looked for Jasper who had taken up her opposite.

“Together” he spoked softly with reassurance and care.

It was all she needed and her teeth slipped like butter through the neck. It was like coming home to a warm cherry pie. Isabella moaned in surprise and lost herself to the pull of the blood.

Time slowed, the shouts of the other humans did not matter. Carlisle or her father did not matter. It was better then anything she had ever tasted, and she wondered as she pulled her lips from the dead human. Why did she ever deny herself this for so long, the greatest gift to a vampire.

The rapist’s blood was warm in her belly but she did not mind latching onto the next man. These criminals deserved it. His frantic yell only pleased her as it heighten his heart rate. This one tasted a little tangy she thought.

Jasper controlled himself somewhat, keeping his eyes on Isabella but he needed not for she fell into the hunt so easily. He just hope for the both of them they could get through this change without falling apart.

Once they were done disposing of the bodies, did Gaius speak again. “I have a coven, that is where we are going” he looked at them. “There is one little problem though and that is there is someone masquerading around as me. We will need to remove him and Isabella; I would ask of you to run your shield over the rest of my coven, for I fear due much to my capture that they are all under the bastards illusions.”

Isabella suddenly had a thousand questions. Who was this man with a similar name and features to Caius. Why does he feel more familiar with her then he should.

“We will come with you and do this. But, you owe us some answers. I can tell by your emotions, there is much you hide” Jasper spoke with authority.

Gaius looked at Isabella to answer. “Once we are safe. I promise you will get no lie from me or mine.”

Isabella thought he was being sincere and was pleased when Jasper gave a little nod.

“Okay, we will settle this for you, but first before that. I am dying to know why you look so much like Caius of the Volturi” Isabella spoke.

Gaius gave off a booming laugh.

“I think you will find Isabella, that it is Caius who looks like me. After all, I am his great great grandfather by blood and sire by venom.”

Both Isabella and Jasper gave flummoxed expressions sending Gaius off into a fit of laughter again.

“Wait..What?” Isabella and Jasper spoke at once.

Gaius just kept on laughing.

“Anymore questions will have to wait, I am afraid. For we have to get this done quickly before the traitor realises I am coming for him”. Gaius finished, no longer laughing. “I will brief you on the way”. He turned and started running, knowing they both would follow.

As Gaius run he went through his plan. “Darius was one of my friend since the Persian Empire attack Greece. He was turned by my makers venom brother, we traveled together on and off. Darius’s power is to take appearances of vampire and people alike while stealing there features and scent once he has meet them. I never thought someone so close to me be a traitor, especially after all we have been through”.

“Unfortunately for me I was captured on his information, while he one of my oldest friends! took my appearance and has been acting on my coven and given information to the Illusionist to save his own head”.

Jasper and Isabella looked at each other as they run, both thinking the same. Who was this Illusionist?

Gaius continued “My coven is very powerful and so we will have to be quick. Isabella your shield of mentality will bring Darius’s power down. But first and foremost we will need your physical shield to stop him from leaving. Can you use both at the same time?”.

Isabella frowned. ‘How does he know my power, I have hardly shown him’ She thought but decided after getting a nod from Jasper to answer. “If you give me the target I should be able to block him and bring his power down at the same time”.

Gaius turned his head to her and smiled, pulling to a stop on the border of suburbia and the beginning of the woods.

“Thank you for your trust, I know how hard this may be for the both of you. I can only say that I have the best intentions for you. We need my coven and their power if I am able to help you hide away”.

Jasper walked towards the edge of the woods scanning with a sigh before turning back.”How many are in your coven? How are you so certain that none of them are on this Darius’s side?”.

Gaius laughed again. “Only the never ending spill the Illusionist gave me to break me down. They had my coven under the very person who took my face, none have known since. As for how many? Jonathan, Selene and Roman, all are gifted but Isabella’s shield should protect us”.

“I thought you said you wanted to lessen my shield extension? If I am to shield the property, Darius and you both. How am I going to keep out Jeremiah?” Isabella interrupted.

“It is a risk we will have to take Isabella and one quickly followed up by another feed, if and when it is needed. We do not know how quickly human blood will burn when using your shields. But, we will need Jonathan who can turn anyone invisible and Roman can hide a scent from the very best tracker. Do you think after this feed your strong enough?”.

Isabella thought hard as she checked her shields. They felt strong and no longer full of oil. “This will be a good assessment either way. I don’t like the idea of more human life to protect you two from your old coven”.

“If it is any consolation, I believe you have the strength! You took on the vampires at the pier and also released us without giving into him. I would not ask Isabella, if I didn’t already believe in you!”.

“Alright then lead the way. The sooner we get this done the better, I have a horrible feeling that this is just the beginning of our night”.

“Without a doubt Isabella” Gaius agreed with a twinkle in his eyes. “Just follow my lead, both of you! It would not surprise me if Darius has already been contacted by his master about my disappearance. Stay alert and try not to hurt my coven, even if they attack us”.

Isabella and Jasper both agreed and followed Gaius with little else to say. Isabella kept checking her shield all the way through the mountains, keeping her senses out for that oil like infection. She was scared that as soon as she let her shield expand, he would trap her once more.

That chilling thought kept her company all the way to the immense concrete walls of a military compound. Jasper tensing beside her as Gaius brought them to a halt, out of site and downwind from the high reaching outer wall.

This suddenly didn’t look as easy as Isabella once thought. How was she going to shield this monstrosity and protect Jasper and their new allies. ‘Don’t think about it and just do it’ she half criticised herself even as she got to work.

Only time would tell if this was to be successful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: well that was a lot bigger then I wanted this chapter to be, I couldn’t find a good spot to finish. Updates from here on out may be slower as I get back into work. My muse though is going strong. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, more chaos to come I assure you! Scarlett Woman x


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Twilight movies or book series. That pleasure is not mine but S. Myers and Warner Bros. I just write for the fun of it!
> 
> A/N: I do apologise I have had a very busy June-July having started another University degree. Add running a business and being a mother. You can imagine I haven’t had much time to dedicate to writing other then essays and accounting. Enjoy – Chapter 7 is almost done as well!

Gaius leads them to a concealed opening in the wall. Isabella remained at the back of Jasper. He was under her bubble, protected and doubly so as she kept a firm touch on his back.

She wasn’t taking any chances with her brother this time. Her shield surrounded the compound had challenged her in lengths she previously had not stretched the physical aspect before, Isabella can still feel the strain on her body.

They shifted through the outer wall and came out the other side, pausing for a split second before they quickly rushed to the side of the main building directly in front of them. 

Isabella looked around as she stopped and could spot a courtyard full of junk that was leftover equipment from the military. A torn American flag lay useless from its poll. The place looked abandoned to any curious humans and it would be a perfect place for a coven to stay, if only for a period. 

Gaius gave the signal that none were out in the yard and so Isabella shrunk her physical shield to settle just over the main building, relieving her of her physical strain.

Once down she grabbed both their hands, knowing that this was her only way of maintaining her physical shield on the building whilst she shared her personal shield on her body with touch.

Needless to say, the limitation of her physical grated on her would be nerves ‘if she had any left working, that is!’ She thought with some amusement.

They slipped through another side entrance silently as they could and come out into a mess hall. Tables and chairs filled the room in uniformity as per regulations of the army that once held the barracks. From one scan you could see there was not a single chair out of position.

Music played in the distance and Gaius lead them towards it.

Isabella willed her shield to their feet to damper any footsteps to the vampires within. It seemed to work, as they left the hall and came through the building. It was not until they passed the dormitories, that they heard the first voice.

“Gaius, we have intruders” the deep accented voice must have been Roman

“I told you I could hear something” came the irritated bell voice of Selene.

“I will go” Jonathan spoke smoothly already making his way to the door.

Gaius the real one, flicked his hand. Releasing his from Isabella’s and burst through the doors to the recreation room.

Isabella didn’t need to be told twice. She planted her feet outside the room, holding onto Jasper as she locked onto the minds of Selene, Roman and Jonathan using her mental shield she stripped Darius’s power away from their minds. The result was automatic and Isabella breathed a sigh. This vampire was no Jeremiah.

“Gaius, what!” Came the confused voice of Jonathan as he looked upon the rough and dishevelled Gaius that bust through the door. 

“DARIUS!” screamed Roman.

“What the fuck” cried, Selene.

Isabella chuckled amused now sure of her hold over Gaius’s coven members, pulled Jasper into the room with her.

Darius stood at the back of the lounge he must have been sitting on, gripping the leather tightly. Though his eyes pitched black, zeroed onto Isabella the moment she walked into the room.

Gaius was crouched just beyond the entrance, his beautiful face pulled back into a snarl of hatred and yet Darius still looked at Isabella. His face now held such a look of intense adoration.

“LOOK AT ME YOU TREACHEROUS RAT” growled Gaius, even as Roman and Selene removed themselves from the couches and stood with Jonathan who was now reaching out to Gaius with a look of horrific realisation.

Darius only squeezed the leather tighter tearing it in response to his old-time friends betrayed voice.

“Isabella…..” his voice was a weak whisper. “My Lady, I have failed you” his face crumbling in sorrow. “Gaius, my old friend! you will bring her nothing but pain, for you have never understood. I had to stop you because she will always belong to her true mate. It is their fate!”. 

“No, I don’t think so! He is nothing but a monster” Isabella replied trying not to sound confused. ‘What was with all these people’ talking about her as if she was something she was not.

Darius only gave her a look of sympathy. “If only you gave him the chance tonight, you would have completed the bond and none of this confusion would be holding you back”.

“What confusion!” Isabella spat out now furious. “He tried to rape me.”

She took a step forward only for Jasper to hold her back. He was shocked by her words. He pulled her closer with a protective growl rumbling from his chest.

“No no, not rape! You don’t understand My Lady. He would never hurt you”.

“HURT ME! – he raped my mind and tried to take my free will! That is not the actions of a would-be mate but a monster”.

“You are his Isa! your love and bond are ancient, famous even! The price for such a bond though” he shook his head saddened, looking to Isabella with such beseeching eyes. “Master Jeremiah loves you Isa and he always will. But there is a curse on you both. You have no idea how much it pains him to put you through this every time Isa! To take what you have come to love is the only way to gain your true self back”.

Gaius growled with fury “You knew her for centuries, Darius. We were family! How can you stand with that Bastard who he took Theron’s life and broke our Bel so much that she killed herself”.

Isabella gasped “You…You. Gaius, what are you saying!”.

Gaius looked at her with so much suffering, his black eyes both sad and intense. “We haven’t got the time, he is stalling. I promise answers but you need to trust me, we can’t stay here”.

And then he pounced onto Darius, his coven members joining him as they took Darius’s head clean off his shoulders.

“Isabella” Jasper whispered urgently in her ear. “This is crazy Sugar! Should we make a run for it?”

Isabella shook her head “No, Observe” she whispered before squeezing his hand before dropping it.

“Gaius” she began walking towards them. “Don’t burn him. I will shield you all until we are safe but you are to keep him alive for I need answers!”.

Gaius stopped juggling Darius’s head and gave her all his attention with a dashing smile. “Whatever you wish Isabella. I too find what this fucker knows interesting enough to let him live for a few more hours” he looked to Roman. “Bag him and carry the body. Selene, you can have this!” And casually threw her the head before giving his attention back to Isabella.

“I know this is very confusing for you Isabella, but I am your friend no matter how crazy I sound right now”.

“Right now the only person I trust is Jasper. But, I will let you explain yourself when we are safe” 

Gaius smile turned sad. “I understand. I have already promised honesty to you once we are safe”.

Isabella nodded feeling rather raw after all of this and returned to Jasper linking their hands together.

Jasper breathed in her hair and whispered: “Honest, so much bewildering honesty”.

She tightens her hand around his in response.

Soon they were back running but this time not only were they all shielded from mental powers but Isabella had let under her shield both Jonathan and Roman’s power of invisibility and scent.

Her mental shield had come along way in her ten years of vampire life. She was now able to detach bubbles of it and tie itself onto other minds leaving only a tenor in her own mind connected to theirs. She could choose which powers she fazed in and out and was able to open a link for the others to see the effects of her shield whilst also remain under her power.

So that was the reason the group could still see each other but no one else could and were able to follow Gaius’s lead.

Gaius who was becoming more of a mystery then either Jasper or Isabella could of imagine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you to all who has dropped a review or kudos. It means so much when I have your support. I know this is a frankly devastating fic in the beginning. What happened to the Cullens is horrible and so again thank you to those who have kept on reading past chapter one because good things do await our characters in the future. 
> 
> Stay safe in our very changed world. I live in Melbourne, Australia and we are once again in full lockdown for the next six weeks. See you next time, hopefully a little sooner then the last.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing but my original characters. The rest belongs to S. Myers and Warner Bro.

Chapter Seven

Their travel out of state over the next hour was why Isabella is now sitting illegally in the first-class cabin with a private balcony. She was sailing on a cruise ship and curiously looking upon the creator of Caius. How did he know so much? And why was he snatched by Jeremiah in the first place? and of course, how did this have anything to do with her?

Why do all these vampires believe she was some born again mate of ancient times. Isabella did not feel old, wise maybe and yet, she was sure that more to do with her human life. Where she practically raised herself whilst looking after her mother.

But, if she was this Isa. Could that be the reason why she was so drawn to Jeremiah? Was his influence on her mind, less himself and more Isabella. A bond that transcends time? She could hardly believe it.

She was still staring at Gaius when he lifted his head and gave her such a warm smile. Her phantom heart gave a leap and she turned her head away, only to meet with caramel eyes. No longer the beautiful golden after their latest feed. How long before they both looked at each other with ruby red?

Jasper tilted his head and motioned to go for a walk. He was impatient to have his sister’s thoughts on the last day.

They made their way outside and onto the dark balcony, dawn still hours away.

Jasper breathed a sigh of relief at the silence on deck.

Reaching the rail, he took a moment to look at Isabella. She was so strong, his brave and tenacious sister. Jasper had come to rely on her so much over the years, that seeing her now strain herself left him feeling hollowed out and ridiculously useless. Where was his great mind when his sister and only remaining family member needed him the most?.

”Are you okay, Isabella?” he asked turning towards her. Still keeping his voice low for he did not trust Gaius or his companions even if he had sensed nothing but honestly from them. Too many times have they been betrayed. His powers as an empath did not make Jasper a clairvoyant. ’That was his wife’ he thought sadly.

Isabella rested her body against the railing and breathed the salty air in for a moment before replying. ”I don’t know Jasper, everything has changed again. I once more feel adrift as I did when…..

”I understand” Jasper reached out, discarding his previous thoughts as he ran a gentle hand down her arm. ”this night has been a lot to take in. If you're able though? I would like to know what happened back in the warehouse”.

Isabella tensed as the memory washed over her again in perfect clarity.

”Jeremiah happened, Jasper. He is far more powerful then I am and feels ancient beyond anyone we have encountered before, much older than even the Volturi or the Romanians! And there is something else. I can’t explain it but he just feels more! of what? I am unsure”.

Isabella hugged herself still feeling the shadow of his presence in her mind contained but not gone. ”I was so trapped Jasper! Profoundly drawn to him and the illusions he drew. He thinks I am this Isa, his mate and I curse myself! Because even though I was fighting the illusion, Jeremiah himself felt so right and” she paused with the realisation ” and for the small time I was there I knew he was mine” she finished softly hardly believing her own words.

Jasper frowned even as his hand drew circles upon Isabella’s back. ”You said he tried to rape you?”

Isabella huffed finding her confidence again. ”Everything was a deception, Jasper. What I saw, what I touched and what I felt. I was his puppet on a string. Jeremiah spun a tale of ancient love and devotion to me, this Isa but none of it was real”.

”Gaius seems to think so” Jasper responded.

”Gaius, Darius, Meredith bah! I don’t know Jasper and it is frightening, for I don’t feel like someone else other than myself and yet I have to question this insanity for so many others believe that I am this born again Isa”.

Jasper hugged her trying to give her comfort. ”You always be my clumsy human turned vampire sister Isabella and nothing we learn from here on out will change that”.

Isabella turned in his arms. ”Do you think it could be true Jasper?”

Jasper shrugged from habit ”Stranger things have happened Sis. Are you being born over and over again? Trust me! after everything we have been through. I think that you being a born again and born as vampire with a soul is the least of our worries”.

Isabella laughed unexpectedly ”Oh Jasper!. If it is true, would it not be so grand to know a vampire soul exists. Carlisle would have been thrilled beyond belief and Edward, could you imagine the look upon his face” she laughed once more. ”I would have finally won the most important argument of our life”.

Jasper was shocked and amazed for Isabella has never expressed this much or spoken of their family and especially not Edward for years. Could it be her break down in the Olympic forest healed a wound unseen?.

”Jeremiah did something to me, Jasper” already guessing his thoughts. ”He healed even as he tried to take from me what was not his to take. I am amazed that I can feel again and with every hour I can feel the coldness that has followed me these past years, leaving more emotions to return”.

”Then, before I rip that bastard apart. I will make sure to thank him for such a gift, Sister”.

Isabella laughed again warming Jasper from the inside. ”Not if I get their first”.

Jasper chuckled resting his head upon hers feeling content for the first time since Alice was not there to be found but instead a trap for Isabella. 

”Do you think we should contact the pack?” Isabella asked some time later.

”No, I think we should not assume our current travelling companions would be agreeable to the mutts and I do not want to think about their terrible reaction to our new feeding habits is going to be. Jake especially!”.

Isabella shuddered at her active imagination. ”Yes your right, I don’t think that would be a good idea”.

Jasper sighed ”It never will be. Still, perhaps you are right, once we are safe we should phone instead. They will eventually be suspicious but we can deal with that with time. In any case, they have the right to know what is going on”.

”I am not entirely comfortable drinking from humans. I still fear turning into some ravenous creature by drinking their blood and yet it is strange for I have never felt more satisfied in my vampiric life”.

”The thirst is not so bad on a traditional diet. I would say we vegetarians are the more ravenous for feeding”.

“Don’t I know it! I would have to take down ten lions, five bears and twenty deer to perhaps even fill this half satisfied”

“Just remember, Darling. There will be no kills from now on that don’t deserve it. It is my promise to the both of us”.

Isabella squeezed the arms around. “I will hold you to it, Brother”.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Sugar”.

They both lapsed into silence again, their thoughts keeping them company. The silence was a respite from the drama of the evening and both knew that such quietness would be hard to come by in the hours ahead and so they took their time to enjoy it.

Hours of gentle waves and whispering air went by before they were joined by the rest of their company.

“This is where we get off before the humans see us on their morning shift” Gaius spoke.

Jasper untangled himself from Isabella and stood straight. “You mind telling us where we are going? I think it is about time you mention our destination. We have been beyond patient, don’t you think?”.

Gaius huffed ”I was just about to tell you, inpatient youngling! I just finished booking the first evening flight out to Dallas from San Francisco. You see I have private property in Southlake just outside the city. We should be well protected there as I just happened to purchased said home while you two were busy talking. No one but the people here will know where it is and so Jeremiah will not know especially if Isabella can maintain her shield around the property”.

Isabella sighed ”As long it is my mental shield. I don’t think I will have a problem”.

”Good. We also will need to question Darius and destroy him before reaching our new residence. At the moment with his head detached, his brain is frozen. However, the moment we attach his head back to his body he will have a direct link back to the illusionist and I am not willing to put us in more danger if your shield breaks again, Isabella”.

”We understand, but Isabella deserves as much time with Darius as we can give her” Jasper answered firmly.

”She will have it, I promise” Gaius affirmed before motioning them towards the edge.

They slipped off the ship with small splashes and sunk to the bottom of the ocean and started their walk to the mainland. After a few minutes Selene got a cheeky look on her face as she started to swing the bag with Darius’s head. ’catch’ she mouth as she tossed the bag away. Jonathan sprinting grabbed it before tossing it back at Gaius who flicked it to Roman, who head-butted it to Jasper.

Jasper caught it shaking his head at the silliness of this ancient coven but feeling strangely more comfortable at their attempts to ease the tension a little. He lifted the head like a volleyball and bashed it towards Isabella who smirked and flicked it back to Selene, who started the process once again for the remaining time underwater.

When they raised out of the water it was still dark with just the horizon lighting. The docks of San Francisco though were packed with the morning workers. It didn’t bother them as they slipped through the shadows faster them the humans could blink.

”Our flight leaves at seven-fifteen tonight so we have the day. I have an apartment where we can freshen up and get a change of clothes. It is a Volturi safe house and so will have everything we will need, including some more blood for you Isabella” Gaius spoke once they were cleared from the docks.

”Is that safe – The Volturi have been chasing us for a while and we are not in the mood to be caught” Jasper spoke again for the both of them.

It was Roman who replied. ”In America, The Volturi is run by Gaius and it has been that way since the great southern wars. Nothing will get back to the brothers unless Gaius wishes it to. You are safe from them young God of War”.

That was news to them and they both turned their eyes to Gaius who was now running backwards with a boyish smile. ”Sorry, did I forget to mention that?”.

Isabella knew very well that he did.

Selene laughed and twirled.” I wouldn’t worry for as devious as the brothers can be. Aro has never bothered to enquire about you through us”.

”Not to mention that you have nothing to fear from the Volturi. It is not your deaths they want but information about what happened to your family and well it is Aro’s own directive that has many operatives working towards seeking you for answers. But, nevertheless, you can be assured that no one from the Volturi will come to the Americas without the approval from Gaius” Jonathan cut in smoothly.

”But Gaius has been in prison for all my vampire life according to him” Isabella spoke up. ”How do you know who is here currently? And why would the brothers need Gaius permission?

”Roman, give her the tablet ” Jonathan spoke ignoring the last of her comments.

Roman had reached into his bag and threw the device at Isabella, who caught it and cast her eyes upon the information shown.

She couldn’t believe her eyes at the first file she read. ”The Volturi operate as property moguls and have their own business platform through an app. That is so unlike what I pictured of these ancient men doing”.

Gaius snickered ”Funny Isabella, They are the ruling party of the Vampire world, who by their own rules must hide from the human race. Surely this can not be so strange for you. Your own Carlisle followed Marcus’s plan to the letter in setting up his own property establishment. Granted Carlisle was a much smaller demographic of land but you get my point”.

Isabella could but was still blown away. Because she had not wanted to see the Volturi has anything else but greedy power-hungry enforcers. The network of property on this app showed was immense and would have taken years according to some of the data, and so was the information that is provided on vacancy and stock each property held. Some were bases while others were nothing short of museums. From warehouses, city towers to single apartments and townhouses. Some were houses while others looked like farms. It was incredible! she thought, now looking around San Francisco. These last thoughts she had kept her going all the way into the city. ’Had she misjudged the Volturi?’.

When they arrived at the Volturi base it only took one passcode and they were all lifted up in a private lift to the penthouse suite. It was massive and so elegantly done in whites and gold marble. So modern as well with only small hints of the age of the owners through some of the artwork on the walls. ’It is such a nice place, Esme kind of nice’ Isabella thought.

They all had a bathroom attached to a bedroom and Isabella was dying to have a shower to wash then evenings events away was the first one to bid her leave. The clothes in the closet were more like what she remembered seeing from the Volturi. She picked out a black winter dress with a silver belt, stockings and heels before grabbing a stylish dark green wool wrap jacket from the closet.

She blow-dried her hair and added some of the jewellery and sunglasses to put on later so that the humans at the airport didn’t freak out anymore then they usually did when seeing a vampire.

When she came out into the lounge. Gaius was already sprawled on the couch looking rather like he belongs on the cover of Vogue, her mouth unintentionally watered at the sight.

Darius’s head had been attached to his body and he was slowly coming around but without his arms and legs. He looked pitiful.

Gaius got off from the couch and come to her, picking up her hand and kissing the back. ”You look beautiful Isabella. Are you ready my dear?”.

”Gaius” Isabella breathed taking his hand ”Are going to tell me the truth. What am I to you?”

He didn’t answer at first just tugged at her hand and brought her closer to him. Gaius reached out and trailed his hand softly down her face before cupping her jaw.

”You are Isabella, of course. But this fact is not what you wanted to know. My dearest, I knew you once before now, if you can find it in your heart to believe. You have been my family, friend, and my haunting vision from the biggest heartbreak I have suffered in all my thousands of years”.

”Bel?” Isabella question in whisper.

”She was much like you of course” Gaius eyes smiled as his mouth twitched. ”Brave, adventurous, powerful, unbelievable gracious and the most caring women I have ever known” he paused losing his sparkle. ”And she loved my brother, Theron for more then a 500 years from the very moment since he turned her. That was all true until Jeremiah took his life, to have yours”.

”You said that she killed herself?” Isabella asked.

Gaius closed his eyes and breathed deeply taking in her ever so familiar scent. 

”Five hundred years Isabella, can you think of what true love and devotion with a extremely good honest man could do?. A mate who treated her sublimely, gravitating around with Bel like he was the sun to her moon. It leaves a mark on a soul, I can tell you that honestly.

She was so happy with Theron and that bastard took it away from you with pure selfishness. Even when Isa remembered her past and Jeremiah as her mate. It didn’t matter for she was torn between both men. Unable to forgive Jeremiah and unable to have Theron. She found her escape in death!”.

”That is not true” whispered the dry voice of Darius. ”Master Jeremiah was not selfish and at the time he had no reason to believe that Isa would care for Theorn past their mating for it has never happened before”.

Gaius dropped his hands from Isabella and whirled around. ”And, you would know so much about this? Are you so loyal to the master of lies that he would confide this to you Darius?.

Darius did not reply except for a sneer thrown towards him.

“Why then if your Bel was Jeremiah’s mate was she able to leave him?” Isabella states as she took a step away from Gaius and moved to Darius. “Is it not possible that he lied to you about this. And if that was true, you would have betrayed your friend for nothing”.

“My Lady, I cared for Bel too! and it was horrifying for all of us when she took her life. But you must listen to my words! My master did not understand why you took your life either. You have never had the curse upon you for that long before you were united and the consequences for that was terrible to behold. He never meant for it to happen that way it did and he has confessed to me that he was not in his right mind when he found you”.

Isabella felt a chill at his words. “You mentioned this curse before now?” ignoring any sympathy for the monster.

Darius tilt his head considering “Did my master not already explained this to you?”.

“He excuses were that his mind and body rape was something that was painful for him but necessary to gain this Isa you are all talking about” Isabella spoke honest even though the room was now full, including Jasper who was glaring hard at Darius on the couch without his arms and legs. 

“You are a legend to the old guard. ‘The Great Isa’ Mother of Vampires. Goddess of Egypt, Babylon and even Atlantis. You have walked this earth for over ten thousand years and always you have done this at the side of Jeremiah. The tale for your curse is everywhere you look in history. That is if you know where to look! I believe my master guards that knowledge fiercely and yet their a few he trusts to know the truth about you both”.

“Did he tell you this?” Isabella whispered feeling the tension in the room rise with his words and her own dread.

“Not everything My Lady, but enough to be able to pass this onto you and some more if you are willing to hear it”

“Tell Me” Isabella cut in forcefully as she took another step closer, her fist clinching.

“My master and Isa were born of a race practically abolished in current times. Some would even consider you non-human before your turning. 

Isabella looked at him disbelieving and Darius rushed to add “But this somewhat conjecture and not something my master has spoken of with me or I have not been given the great privilege. Please let me have your permission to go on so I can at least explain the parts that I do know”.

Isabella frowned feeling out of her depth but said “Go on”

“My master fell in love with a daughter of his enemy. One of the high lords of Ithcã or Atlantis as it is known to the modern world. My master was shunned from his people centuries before Isa’s birth and was hunted by the very same high council for a serious crime of creating chaos in the form of abomination of Magnus or as we like to call it – Vampire”.

”Get the fuck out” Isabella spat out to the frozen vampires all around her. Clearly no one was expecting this out of the traitors mouth. She took another step closer to Darius completely insanely captured by his words. ”Are you trying to tell me. That the monster who wanted to violate me, who murdered my mate and my family is the FUCKING forefather to us all” she shouted with so much rage. 

”My Lady?” Darius spoke with care. “I do not mean to upset you with this news…

”Just continue” Isabella said tightly as she felt Jasper come up behind her. ’I needed this information, they needed this information’ she told herself even as she smothered her fury at Jeremiah. ‘There was time for that later’ she thought as Darius spoke once more.

“Jeremiah began to see Isa in secret with some help from a group already loyal to the master and mistress and those were the ones who kept the couple safe for period of time. But, like all secrets they were exposed and truth of their liaison lead lsa’s parents to doing something truly unforgivable. In their hubris and hatred for my master. They tied a curse upon Isa! one that would only come into effect if she surrendered her mortal life to Jeremiah”.

”What happened next?” She dares to ask whilst intrigued despite herself.

”Jeremiah and Isa did not know of the curse initially, her parents never told her and so my master turned his love blindly and the both of you have lived with the consequences since the burning days of your very first turning.”

Darius cleared his throat.

‘She will live in his arms for the turning of one cycle and cement her ruination. Her soul will be unbound and stuck to the walk of time in minds prison. He who takes her lifeblood will be cursed to see his love in the arms of his unequals. Only her heart torn asunder does his terrible crime bequeath their whole. Her ruination begins once more’.

“It is not an exact translation but it is the best I can to with this ghastly language” Darius finished softly.

“We can us this! Isabella” Gaius breathed his eyes glowing with triumphant but Isabella did not get to ask how? so locked onto the eyes of Darius with his ancient master already reaching for her. She resisted her best but was once more to her dismay so easily overwhelmed.

Teeth clenched she couldn’t stop the great cascade of oil filling the infection growing in her mind. 

Isa….

Isa…

Isa..

There you are.

Jeremiah stood before her in a void of darkness, his calm and silent presence instinctively calming her panic. There was a look upon his beautiful face that sent a thrill tricking down Isabella’s spine. He commanded such control over himself and it was both mesmerising as it was intense.

He crossed his arms and raised a single brow as he took in his surroundings. ”Still fighting me precious love? even now after all you have been told by faithful Darius?”

Isabella listen frozen from where she stood in the void. She was no longer in the Volturi apartment but she knew that this was not one of his illusions. 

Everything was blurring around her and she could feel the evidence of her shield blocking the full effect of his power, she was still in control.

“Truly remarkable, Isabella” he smiled reflecting as his eyes scanned her. “I see more of my Isa within you with every new encounter. It is a immense moment of exquisite torture for myself to finally have you so near”.

Isabella had already started experimenting as he took his first step towards her. Trying to stay under his radar she flexed her shield trying to pinpoint the cracks Jeremiah had found to get under her power.

“What do you want?” She asked to keep the conversation going.

”Oh my love! You have no conception of how inexhaustibly I have waited for you- Isabella. Centuries of unforgivable pain and my sufferings have known no bounds” he ardently expressed to her before finally taking the final step so she could now see up close his seeking intense and determined eyes. 

Isabella finally found the weakness in her mental shield even as she took her first breath of his delicious scent. She knew now was the time to break free from him and yet she hesitates once more feeling the euphoria Jeremiah has only commanded upon her.

Jeremiah looked very pleased with himself and grinned eagerly with a secret dancing in his eyes. “I adore these new changes within you Isabella and I am so very tempted to see how far our little game of cat and mouse can continue”. 

He reached up trailing his fingers down her cheek bone with such care. “And yet I have to ask the question Isabella. Why are you hesitating?” He cupped her jaw. “We are mates and so you should know that I know your shield like the back of my hand and so I ask again. Why are you still here with me, when you have already found your escape?”.

Isabella took a few shuddering step backwards as shame and disgust swept through her. Jeremiah warm laugh rang in her ears as she looked back up to him in shock. This frightening vampire who was gazing at her with a fondness that Isabella did not understand.

“This is not the life I would of ordain for us or this terrible deed that must take place” Jeremiah spoke after her silence his velvet-smooth voice reluctantly capturing Isabella like no other had in her life. ”I would spare us this shame if it was at all possible. But, you cannot expect that I will ever leave you to an illusion that is worse then anything I could conjure”.

Bitterness filled her so quickly that she visible cringed. Memories rushed through her of those happy filled days with Edward and Renesmee and her Cullen family.

”Oh my my! your thinking of young Edward are you not?” he spoke with dark humour. ”Yes I can see it in yours eyes but underneath that I know your terrible secret Isabella” His knowing tone put her on edge as his quick strides removed the space between them again. ”You my dearest heart have blocked your bond to that pathetic whelp. I can feel it! because you are not nearly as disgusted by me as you should be” Jeremiah then lifted his hand again and ran a slow elegant finger down her cheek and across her lips to empathise this point. 

Anger flooded her veins at his presumption even as he grasps her jaw. ”You no nothing about me!” Isabella spat in his face.

He grabbed her with his other arm and roughly brought her to him. ”I know you tremble at my very being and you crave my very touch Isabella. You have no idea how very different you are to your past selves who usually struggle and scream at me in this half form. You desire me! and no pesky broken bond can tell you otherwise”.

His rich laugh swept through her as he brought his lips to whisper in her ear. ”Isabella, don’t you find this fascinating. That you my love have outwitted our prophecy and have retain more of your true self in this life then in any lived before.” He kissed down her neck before pulling away to meet her enraged face.

”Such anger my little one, such passion. I am going to enjoy every single moment of your ruination”. He leant forwards once more to run his nose up her cheek. Isabella sighed involuntary her anger slipping at the action.

“Run little one, let our chase begin. I find that I am very curious Isabella for you to indulge me with your life. I will even give you a head start but know this as soon as I tire of you in this form. I will catch you. There is no doubt about your future, You are mine!”.

And this time it was the illusionist to let her go with a warm and indulgent laugh.


End file.
